


The importance of netflix

by Nymaria



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 11x6 coda, Awkward Conversations, Castiel and Netflix, Castiel in the Bunker, Depression, Episode: s11e06 Our Little World, Fluff, Friendship is Magic, Gen, Merlin finale spoilers, POV Dean Winchester, Platonic Cuddling, Season/Series 11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-05-02 04:43:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5234525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nymaria/pseuds/Nymaria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was Sam who first said it.<br/>"I think Cas is depressed."</p><p>And Dean hated,  <em>hated </em> the word. Because fuck their lives,  if angels got depressed now. What would be next?  Burn-out?</p><p> </p><p>Or how Cas is depressed and watching <em>Merlin </em> somehow helps, though not with everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The importance of netflix

**Author's Note:**

> There will be spoilers for the finale of the BBC show Merlin. So if you haven't watched it yet, but do intend to, please skip this one. (And maybe come back later^^)

It was Sam who first said it.  
"I think Cas is depressed."

And Dean hated, _hated_ the word. Because fuck their lives, if angels got depressed now. What would be next? Burn-out?  
With a sigh Dean heaved himself into his usual armchair, stretching his limbs out and hoping for the cramps to recede. Because apparently long drives made him get cramps now, no matter how comfortable his baby was. Fuck, he was getting too old for this. 

He _did not_ just think that. 

"He's not depressed, okay? Just, you know, needs a little timeout. Relax, get his things in order and stuff. It's gonna be alright", Dean insisted, trying to convince his brother and maybe, in a tiny corner of his mind, himself as well. Sam joined him in the armchair opposite his, letting himself sink into the cushions and relax his abused muscles. And Dean had to agree, those Men of Letters definitely knew what they were about, when they bought those armchairs for their secret lair. 

The only thing he wanted to do right now was sit around for awhile and maybe get a cold beer later. But of course there was Sam, who would not shut up about this, and demand to finish the conversation. 

Just as he thought, Sam straightened and shook his head in resignation, his ridiculous hair flapping around his ears and did he have to wear it that long? Scissors, man, _scissors_.  
"Dean, he hasn't left his room for weeks. Watching TV all day isn't really healthy. You know that."

Right. Finally back home in the bunker and they had to deal with this shit. Couldn't life cut them a break for one goddamn time?  
"Well, what am I supposed to do about it?" he asked, frustration thick in his voice. "The dude's an angel, he can take care of himself. "

At that, Sam shot him a look, his bitch face not having suffered with time. Though it did succeed in making him feel guilty. The fact was, Cas did need someone to take care of him. His angelic brothers and sisters obviously weren't up for the task. Not a huge loss, if you asked Dean, but still, they were the only family he'd got. And how someone, angel or otherwise, could have such rotten luck as to be stuck with them, was another question. 

"Alright, okay. I got it. So... you talk to him", he proposed, because Sam and Cas were friends, too, so he could suck it up and share some of the shitty things that came with it. 

"Yes, and of course I'm here for him. But he won't listen to me like he does to you, Dean! " responded Sam in his pissed off tone. 

"Like that's my fault! " snapped Dean indignantly and glared right back.

Sam remained rather unimpressed at that.  
"Do something about it! " And with those parting words Sam stood up and left the room, slamming the door shut after him. 

Great.

 

***

 

Damn Sam and his stupid talk to hell. Not that he meant that literally of course, but still!  
This was such a bad idea. 

"Cas, buddy, can I come in? "  
He knocked once more, this time a little more forceful.

Nothing again. Nada. And he could hear the freaking TV.  
Now that was just rude. 

Dean raised his voice, making absolutely sure it could be heard over the noise: "Okay, that's it! If you don't open the damn door right now, I'm breaking it open! So, fair warning!" He hoped Cas would listen to reason, but he had no problem doing this the hard way, if he had to.  
"Don't care if you're jerking off", he added spitefully.

Suddenly the door opened and Cas grumpy face appeared in the doorway.  
"I'm not jerking off." And man, did he sound offended. 

Right, how was he supposed to know? Not like Cas talked about this stuff to him. Yeah, well, so maybe that was his fault.

"What do you want, Dean?" Cas sounded exhausted and not at all like he should after a relaxing weeks-long holiday. 

"Uh... talk. To you. I guess?" 

"Would you like to come in, Dean?" he asked politely. 

"Yeah, uh -"  
And of course he knew, intellectually, that Cas stayed in the bunker now, that he lived there with them. But it never truly occurred to him that it would be his _home_ and not just a temporary abode. Cas had swapped heaven for this - not tiny, no... but in comparison probably very lacking - room in the bunker.  
He'd even helped Cas pick out the room and set up the TV. There weren't many personal things yet, only his clothes, an angel blade, wrappers, receipts, some change and other stupid, small human stuff.  
Still, it looked lived in and that made something in his chest constrict. 

"We should take some photos", he said without thought, looking around the room and thinking about the few pictures he himself possessed and how much they meant to him. 

At Cas questioning look, he abruptly realised that he'd actually said that aloud and heat crept along his face to his ears.  
"I just thought... maybe some pictures... would look good in the room. You know, us three and baby. "

Cas face lighted up with a warm smile. "I would like that very much, Dean. "

"Yeah, so...", he started, searching for a way to begin. Maybe they should sit down. At first he tried one of the chairs, yet they weren't cushioned at all and he refused to sit there for how know long after giving up sleep for this. Definite no to the chairs, therefore Dean hesitantly went forward and sat down upon the bed. Cas promptly was beside him, as usual sitting much too close to observe social norms.  
Right, he was supposed to say something. 

"Cas, look, you've got to stop watching that much TV, it's not good for you. And Sam is starting to think you're depressed. "  
Dean winced at the words, moving slightly away from Cas. God, he did not mean for it to come out like that.  
Well, Sam should have known. If he wanted to handle this matter with tact and sensitivity, he shouldn't have asked Dean. 

"I don't understand, why would I be depressed?" Cas asked with a frown.

Sure, why? What with all the shit they'd been through... Hell, the Leviathans, Purgatory, the angels falling and now the mess with the Darkness - it was a wonder they'd not yet ended up in a psychiatric clinic, locked into straight jackets.  
He was about to explain, or try at least, but a look into Cas baby-blue eyes and it was all too much.  
"That's what you gotta ask Sam. I just want to make sure you're alright. "

"I'm fine", was Cas puzzled answer and Dean had never hated an expression more. It's the thing you said, when you were decidedly not fine. He was an expert on this issue. 

"Just saying that you have to do other stuff as well, okay. Go outside, get a coffee. Or read a book. Maybe, I don't know, gardening?" he said dubiously, then added defensively, "You like nature, right?"

Cas seemed equally sceptical. "I do. Perhaps I will... like it? "

"Huh, we could plant some... flowe-", Dean stopped, abruptly horrified at the mental image, "bushes, _bushes_ and other green stuff around the bunker, I suppose."

"Yes, alright", Cas agreed somewhat reluctantly. 

"And if you have to get your netflix fix or whatever, we can do it together, ya know? But no more of that daytime tv crap", Dean said with an awkward smile and patted Cas shoulder. 

"We'll be watching together? Really? "

"Sure, Cas. We can do it right now. " At Cas eager nod, Dean mentally folded and said goodbye to his own bed for the immediate future. He really just wanted to sleep, but whatever. The angel was the priority.  
"What'd you like to watch?"

"House of Cards, I've read it is a very good show", he said decisively and turned hopefully to Dean. 

God no, he wanted to watch the show with politicians?! What was wrong with some Marvel? Still, it was Cas' choice, he would have to get through it somehow.  
Only, wasn't that shit depressing? With intrigues and morally dubious actions etc., Sam just wouldn't shut up about how interesting it was. Though probably not something depressed people should watch. Though Cas _wasn't_.

"Anything else you'd like? " he asked with forced casualness.

Cas glanced at him from the corner of his eye, and what was that for?  
Then he carefully said, "There was this BBC show called Merlin..."

"The wizard?" was Dean's dumbfounded reply.

"Warlock", Cas agreed. "It's about his youth and meeting Prince Arthur."

Dean shot him an intense look. "Please don't tell me that you met the real Merlin at some time."

Cas fidgeted and started to say, "There has been indeed an encounter-"

"Woah, I don't want to know!" interrupted Dean waving his hands in the universal sign of 'abort' and continued grumpily, "Let's just watch the series, okay?"

Cas' happy smile was answer enough and they settled more comfortably against the headboard of the bed. 

Turned out, it wasn't quite as awkward as Dean initially thought. 

 

***

 

Goddamnit, what was wrong with him? 

Three weeks later and their Merlin marathon had come near to its end. Cas was better. Their little garden project occupied lots of his time and he seemed happier, more content with his lot. Sammy even stopped giving him those looks and just appeared pleased that Cas was recovering. 

The show was surprisingly good, apart from the special effects. The story was exciting and the characters interesting. 

It was a little embarrassing and he would never admit to it in public or to his little brother, but he liked it.  
He liked it a lot. 

Dean liked Arthur's incredible kindness, despite his arrogance and stubbornness. His actions were all for the good of Camelot, and he could respect that trait in a man.  
Because Dean could really get behind that mentality, in fact had proven multiple times that he would do anything to save the world and his brother. 

Merlin, too, was easy to like. With his ridiculously big ears and his horribly obvious way of doing magic. But he was gentle and naive and so determined to do everything in his power to save Arthur.  
He reminded him of Cas, to be honest. They shared that incredible will of saving one person, only in this case it was Dean himself. 

Gaius was a little like Bobby in some aspects. Not that the old coot would have liked the comparison. 

Charlie would have had a crush on Morgana, for sure. He wondered if she'd ever seen the show. Being a proud nerd, she probably did. 

So he was understandably upset to see that the ending _sucked_. This was a kids show, weren't those, like, obligated to have a happy ending?  
This wasn't a happy ending in his book. 

They were in Cas room, lying on the bed, like they always did, because Cas still had no proper, comfortable chairs to sit on. Honest to god tears were flowing down Cas' cheeks and he'd started to sniff into a hanky. This was ridiculous, there was a literal angel crying next to him over a tv show. 

Though much more troubling was the fact that Dean himself felt a little weepy, as he watched Merlin desperately clutching Arthur to his chest.  
And did they really have to kill the guy? He'd barely been king, what of his oh so great destiny?  
Besides, Merlin was a wizard, he should be able to heal him. 

Fuck this. He was never watching BBC again. 

When the last frame of an old Merlin in a modern world, waiting for his king to return, faded and the credits started to roll, Cas turned to face him. 

"I would have saved you", he said solemnly, tear tracks still visible. "No matter what. "

And this was the time for making a quip about not being the _Once and Future King_ , but he couldn't bring himself to.  
He was tired, they both were and the show was depressing the shit out of him.

So he just extended his hand to the side and let Cas curl into him, making sure he was warm and alive. 

"I know", he murmured softly. 

And maybe Arthur and Merlin didn't get their happy ending, but that didn't mean they wouldn't.  
Nobody could tell him that Sam, Cas and, heck, he himself as well, didn't deserve to survive this. 

 

They wouldn't let the Darkness defeat them and devour the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
